


Like normal people do

by Alecto



Series: tumblr ficlets [21]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Arguing, Established Relationship, M/M, Prompt Fic, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23431222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alecto/pseuds/Alecto
Summary: Dialogue prompt: “Don’t touch me. We’re fighting.”They were like most other couples. Except when they weren't.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Series: tumblr ficlets [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/48708
Comments: 7
Kudos: 93





	Like normal people do

Jounouchi turned his scarlet, enraged face away, bracketing his broad shoulders like an American football linebacker. Stomping his feet, he started to storm away. 

A controlled puff of air rushed through Kaiba's nostrils as he clenched and then unclenched his jaw and hands in quick succession. He wanted to reach out and grab Jounouchi—by his arm, his shoulder, anything—and keep him here. Partly because people did not turn their backs on Kaiba Seto. But mostly because he still wanted Jounouchi to stay.

Leave it to Jounouchi to bungle his own dramatic exit. In his haste to get away, he tripped over a coil of thick cables and careened toward a cluster of free-standing studio lighting equipment.

Jounouchi swore. "Shit!"

Kaiba sprang forward, caught a flailing hand, and yanked Jounouchi back out of harm's way. Jounouchi collided into his chest and reflexively steadied himself by digging his fingers into Kaiba's bicep. Kaiba winced at the feel of nails biting into his skin, but he latched his other arm around Jounouchi's waist to offer more support while he peddled back to keep balance.

But there was no fighting momentum or the forces of physics.

They crashed onto the floor in a tangle of limbs. Kaiba blinked owlishly, momentarily dazed by the blinding stage lights overhead and winded by the collision. Then the weight on his chest shifted, pushing to sit up. 

"Don't touch me," Jounouchi snapped, voice full of hurt and wounded pride. "We're fighting."

In response, Kaiba tightened his hold on Jounouchi's waist and hand. 

"We can't fight if you're in the hospital or dead," he tried to snarl but was unable to muster any amount of real venom. His heart still hammered in his chest. He wondered if Jounouchi could feel it with how close they were. As often as he managed to be the cause, the idea of Jounouchi getting hurt tore at him.

"You're a jerk," hissed Jounouchi as he transferred his clawing hand to Kaiba's shoulder. "Asshole. Bastard!"

"I am," he readily admitted.

That gave Jounouchi pause, prompting him to raise his head to finally lock eyes with Kaiba. His brows were still knitted together in anger, and his lips curled downward, but the sharp edges where he'd usually bear his teeth had also blunted. He stared down at Kaiba underneath him, eyes roving across the plains of his face. 

Kaiba struggled to maintain a neutral expression.

Jounouchi dropped his head to Kaiba's shoulder, thus hiding his face and the emotions that flowed all too easily across it. "Why can't you say sorry like normal people?"

Instead of responding, Kaiba ran his fingers down Jounouchi's back in an attempt to soothe the tremors that rumbled his bowed spine.


End file.
